The post addresses the Mattel recall for lead found in toys.

In regards to the Mattel recall of lead found in children's toys:

What is the best way to ensure the safety of children's toys? Consider how the following groups would answer this question: government regulators (in the U.S. and China); consumer advocates, the toy industry, children's product retailers; and standard-setting organizations. What might explain the differences in their point of view?

Solution Preview

The Mattel recall was a huge mess for everyone involved. In many instances, sheer panic set in for parents, and they were rifling through their children's toys to get rid of all recalled toys, and many parents got rid of all Mattel toys in their homes, thinking that it would be the safest option because the other toys had been recalled. Many parents have refused to buy any Mattel toy since this incident happened. Children's toys is one area where we don't want to see recalls. There are several industries that we see this in, including from pharmaceutical companies, toy makers, and other industries where safety is an everyday concern in the products being manufactured, as opposed to industries where product safety is a concern, but where the risk of injury from the product is a lot less than we see in drug and toy companies.

The U.S. regulators adhere to certain safety standards, and the Chinese regulators also adhere to safety standards. The problem, as it was in this case, is that the U.S. does not always know what is specifically taking place in a main manufacturing ...

Solution Summary

The solution provides a very detailed discussion of the Mattel recall of lead found in children's toys. Topics include ways to ensure safety in toys, including how each group specified would answer the question. This solution is written based on 25+ years of experience in the business law industry.